1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to mounting brackets for use with trolling motors on fishing boats. More specifically, the invention relates to a mounting bracket assembly, having a tilt-mechanism and a swivel plate, which is convertible for use with any one of various models of trolling motors and which mounts to bow gunwale or deck of any of a variety of small fishing boats, the tilt-mechanism minimizing the damaging effect of an underwater impact to the trolling motor.
2. Description of Related Art
Recent trends in recreational fishing and watersport activities show an increased popularity and use of trolling motors to power and navigate both single and double hulled boats. Trolling motors are smaller and lighter than conventional outboard motors and allow the boater to access areas of a body of water not otherwise possible with the standard outboard motor. Moreover, trolling motors are environmentally more sensitive than conventional outboard motors, powered on electricity and travelling quietly and odorlessly at about 3 to 4 mph. Hence, a wide variety of trolling motor models exist, most typically, being stern, transom mounted by a mounting bracket, and either operated by a tiller or foot-operated controller attached to a motor housing from which an elongated propeller shaft operably extends.
Unfortunately, the conventional mounting brackets are limited in design for conventional transom mounting, and allow only fore and aft pivoting of the motor housing and shaft, from a generally horizontal stored position to an angular or vertical and rigid position for raising and lowering the propeller to a preset depth. Therefore, in the down position, striking an underwater obstruction is likely to cause damage to the shaft or propeller assembly by virtue of the rigidly fixed relationship between the motor housing and the mounting bracket during the motor's operation. Moreover, in the stored position, the elongated shaft and motor housing interfere with onboard preparation for embarking or disembarking, often requiring the boater to step over the shaft thereby further risking injury to both the boater and the shaft by a trip and fall onto the trolling motor.
In addition to problems presented by conventional stern mounted trolling motors, conventional means when attached to the bow of the boat present even more problems. A bow mounted trolling motor is desired to improve steerability, the motor pulling the boat forward rather than pushing from behind. This feature is particularly desirable when fishing in shallow water or confined coves. However, whereas boats almost universally provide a transom uniformly designed to accept motor brackets, the bows of boats differ dramatically. For example, a simple V-shaped bow allows a conventional bracket to mount to the bow gunwale and allow the motor to be operated normally; however, during storage, the shaft of the motor extends diagonally across and extending beyond the beam of the boat, requiring its removal from the gunwale, particularly during trailering. In an alternative example, other small boats are decked at the gunwale, such as some pontoon boats, thereby preventing attachment of the transom-type mounting bracket at the bow. Similar mounting problems arise from boats with oddly shaped gunwales or bows.
There is, therefore, a need of a mounting bracket that easily and universally mounts to the bow of any one of a large variety of boats, that permits attachment of any one of a variety of trolling motors, that has means to rotate the motor horizontally during transport or storage, and that has means permitting angular deflection of the propeller and shaft rearward when either encounters an underwater obstacle. The present invention provides such a convertible tilt-bracket.
Impact energy absorbing mounting brackets have been described in the patent literature. For example and most notably, U.S. Pat. No. Re. 30,567 reissued Apr. 7, 1981 to Meredith et al. describes a trolling motor safety mount including a hollow mounting block pivotally mounted to a clamp with a detent arrangement which maintains the block and motor in an operative position. This simple arrangement is limited to fore and aft angular movement of the motor solely for the purpose of deflecting when striking an underwater object.
Various transom-mounted versions of such brackets have been developed for use in combination with outboard motors. U.S. Pat. No. 3,240,453 issued Mar. 15, 1966 to Kiekhaefer describes an outboard motor with an energy absorbing mounting bracket including a rack and pinion assembly tied to a clutch assembly. U.S. Pat. No. 3,246,915 issued Apr. 19, 1966 to Alexander, Jr. describes a tilting clamping assembly employing a dampening hydraulic shock absorber or spring. However, these members have the objective of preventing damage to the transom or motor due to shocks absorbed, not due to an impact with an underwater obstacle, but rather due impact with one another after tilting at high-speed passage over an underwater object. Such mechanisms are dissimilar in structure and function from the present invention intended for slow-speed trolling motors.
Tiltable and pivotable bracket assemblies have been applied for numerous other objects, and their structures have been modified accordingly. U.S. Pat. No. 2,782,744 issued Feb. 26, 1957 to Staley describes an apparatus for transom mounting an outboard motor behind a boat for optimizing propeller draft. U.S. Pat. No. 2,928,631 issued Mar. 15, 1960 to Hartman describes a crank-operated supporting assembly for swingably lifting heavy outboard motors mounted on the transoms of cabin cruisers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,921,182 issued Jan. 12, 1960 to Taylor describes a bracket which self-adjusts the headlight of a boat. U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,485 issued Aug. 25, 1981 to Burke describes a retractable sonar sensor system employing a rod and spring-loaded disc assembly to rotate the rod from a vertical to a horizontal orientation. U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,915 issued May 26, 1987 to Boucher et al. describes a marine sensor mounting mechanism including a bifurcated bracket for permanent attachment to a hull, wherein a toggle link allows a sensor mounted in an operative position of the bracket when struck to move out of the way of the underwater object to an inoperative position.
Nevertheless, all of the above described mounting brackets fail to disclose a tilt-bracket and swivel plate assembly providing a convertible means for absorbing underwater impacts, convertible for use with any one of various trolling motors or boat bows, with the added advantage of permitting the motor to rotate in a substantially horizontal plane during storage or transport. None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.